The Philadelphia 76ers (45-27, 3rd in the East) have just ten games remaining and are looking to make a final push for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. They will face off against the Los Angeles Clippers (36-38, 8th in the West), losers of four straight and seven of their last nine.
The Clippers are realistically in no danger of dropping lower than eighth (4.5 games ahead of ninth-place) and are similarly not a threat to catch the seventh-seeded Timberwolves (six games behind them), but no team wants to head into the playoffs in poor form.
Can the Clippers get right ahead of the playoffs or will Joel Embiid and James Harden take care of business in Los Angeles tonight?
Continue reading our free NBA picks and predictions for Sixers vs. Clippers on Friday, March 25th.
76ers vs Clippers odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Sixers opened as 5-point favorites and remain at that number. The total opened at 222.5 and has since fallen all the way down to 217.5.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
76ers vs Clippers predictions
Predictions made on 3/25/2022 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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76ers vs Clippers game info
• Location: Cyrpto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• Date: Friday, March 25, 2022
• Tip-off: 10:30 p.m. ET
• TV: NBATV
76ers vs Clippers betting preview
Key injuries
76ers: None.
Clippers: Norman Powell F (Out), Paul George F (Out), Robert Covington F (Questionable).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
Since James Harden's arrival in Philadelphia, the 76ers are 8-5-1 to the Over, having played 33-23-2 to the Under prior to that. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Clippers.
76ers vs Clippers picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Spread analysis
Ever since James Harden began suiting up for the Sixers on February 25th, Philadelphia is 10-4 SU. When looking at the Sixers' splits before and after that point, the difference is staggering.
The Sixers have been eighth in net rating since then, compared to ranking 12th in the 58 games prior. Harden's ability as a facilitator has also been on display, with Philadelphia jumping from 22nd in assist percentage to ninth.
There was vocalized concern from many that Harden's scoring ability would eat into Embiid's production, yet Embiid has averaged more points in the 12 games the two have played together than he did prior to Harden's arrival.
Embiid has led the team in scoring in 12 of the 14 games since Harden's first game with the Sixers, and the two games in which he wasn't the team-high scorer, it has actually been Tyrese Maxey who has taken that honor. Speaking of Maxey, there was a similar sentiment that Harden would reduce Maxey's emerging role and stunt his growth.
Yet, he too has benefited since Harden's arrival, with his scoring average showing a pronounced jump from 16.6 to 21.5 points per game. Needless to say, the perception that Harden would be a net negative on Embiid and Maxey's impact and production were far overstated, and arguably just flat out wrong.
| Harden Effect | ||
|---|---|---|
| Before | After | |
| Games | 58 | 14 |
| Record | 35-23 (.603) | 10-4 (.714) |
| Net rating rank | 12th | 8th |
| Assist rate | 22nd | 9th |
| Embiid PPG | 29.1 | 33.3 |
| Maxey PPG | 16.6 | 21.5 |
That elevated play may very well continue tonight, as the Sixers travel to Los Angeles to take on the sliding Clippers. Philadelphia comes into the game with a clean bill of health, unlike the Clippers who have struggled with injuries all year long.
Norman Powell (21.0 PPG) has not played since February 10th and has just three games under his belt with the Clippers since being traded for at the trade deadline, but carries a questionable designation heading into Friday's game.
Robert Covington (9.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG), another deadline acquisition, is also questionable. Despite Powell's untimely injury, the Clippers were able to string together a five-game winning streak in mid-February, but three of those wins came against the laughably bad Rockets and it has come as no surprise that Los Angeles has since dropped seven of their last nine and their last four.
Their only wins during that time have been against the lottery-bound Wizards and Pistons. The Sixers are obviously in an entirely different stratosphere from the bottom dwellers of the East, as a win tonight can put them on a very good path to securing the top seed in the East.
Victory is certainly in the cards for them, seeing as Embiid will have a chance to go against a Clippers defense that allows the sixth-most points in the paint on average. The Clippers also rank 26th in defensive rebounding rate and allow the second-most second-chance points.
Prediction: Sixers -5 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
Prior to Harden's arrival, the Sixers were a team frequently playing to the Under, going 33-23-2 (58.6%). Since then, the Sixers have now played 8-5-1 (60.7%) to the Over.
There might be a slight edge in the market in respect to totals possibly not reflecting the clear changes that have occurred since Philadelphia made their move at the deadline. The Sixers are still by no means a team that pushes the pace, but their pace with Harden ranks 23rd in the league compared to ranking 27th beforehand.
And while the Sixers already ranked first in the league in percentage of points coming from free throws before his arrival, that figure has jumped from 16.7% to a whopping 22.4%. Opposing players go to the free-throw line at the third-lowest rate in the league (19.3 per game), and Embiid and Harden have no problem getting to the charity stripe.
It's also simply bad practice to be late to the party, with the total having already moved five points down from the opener of 222.5.
Prediction: Over 217.5 (-110)
Best bet
Friday night's matchup is a very clear representation of a gap in urgency between two teams. The Clippers have just eight games remaining on their schedule and are likely locked into their position in the standings, with the Nuggets six games ahead of them and the Pelicans and Lakers a comfortable 4.5 games behind them.
The Sixers, on the other hand, are one of four teams at the top of the East vying for the top seed. They are interlocked in a race with the Heat, Bucks, and Celtics, and just a game and a half separate the four. With few games left on the schedule, each game is the difference between opening a series and playing a potential Game 7 at home or on the road.
Joel Embiid and James Harden have been a masterful pairing and the latter has done even more to elevate the rest of the roster. The team has also been able to enjoy the luxury of playing the second game of this road trip without having to do any traveling at all, having played in Crpyto.com Arena on Wednesday against the Lakers.
Not much about this matchup pops out as overly challenging, so expect the Sixers to cover the modest spread.
Pick: Sixers -5 (-110)
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